Leading by example

Josh Harper showed everyone at Jesuit High's Loyola Field why he's a special football player.

Stephen Roberson

Josh Harper showed everyone at Jesuit High's Loyola Field why he's a special football player.

The 6-foot-2, 190-pound St. Mary's wide receiver is The Record's player of the year. He joins Sierra's Jeff Harbison, the coach of the year, atop The Record's postseason honor roll.

In three varsity seasons, Harper helped make the Rams one of Northern California's premier football programs.

His prowess garnered attention from college programs across the country and, eventually, earned him a full scholarship to Cal.

"It's always been a goal," Harper said about playing football at the Division I level. "I just did the best I could do and it happened."

"It" happened a lot with Harper on the field, and Jesuit got a first-hand look at why he is one of the state's best preps in this year's season opener.

The Rams were already dominating, leading 35-0 in the third quarter, when St. Mary's quarterback Marcus McDade completed a pass to Harper.

The man teammates call Matrix quickly turned the Marauders' frustration into humiliation with a display that was one part Barry Sanders, two parts Marcus Allen and three parts Harry Houdini.

He caught the ball near the left hash at midfield and made a quick cut to the right. Running parallel to the Jesuit 40-yard line toward the Marauders sideline, he reversed field, started back toward the St. Mary's sideline, then broke upfield.

Once he found open field, he raced the final 30 yards for a 62-yard touchdown, breaking free from or eluding a dozen would-be tacklers along the way. Three Marauders missed him twice, and one whiffed three times.

It was a preview to a season loaded with dynamic plays that left coaches and defensive backs shaking their heads in disbelief.

He was the focus of opponents' game plans every week. Still, Harper finished with 40 catches for 730 yards, both team highs, and nine touchdowns on a team with four outstanding receivers. He also had 31 carries for 391 yards and four touchdowns, five punt returns that went the distance and two interceptions returned for scores.

Fellow Rams wideout Louie Lechich has played alongside Harper throughout high school. He says he still appreciates watching plays like the one his teammate made that Saturday in Carmichael.

"It's something that always amazes me," Lechich said. "I've told a number of people that I'll catch myself just watching him when I'm supposed to be blocking. He has instincts to the game that nobody I've seen or played with has. That's what makes him so good."

His father, Willie Harper, an NFL veteran who won Super Bowl XVI with the San Francisco 49ers following the 1981 season, said it was clear early on that Josh could be a remarkable athlete.

"Even when he was a little kid, Joshua could dribble (a basketball) with both hands running full speed," he said. "He's always been really talented. People never thought he was as young as he was. They just thought he was small for his age."

St. Mary's coach Tony Franks first saw Harper as an eighth grader participating in the Junior Rams program. "We knew then he was going to be a terrific football player."

While Harper grew more confident as he developed, Franks said he avoided the "look-at-me" antics that are becoming the rule, not the exception, among standout athletes at every level.

"Josh is a quiet person, a quiet leader," Franks said. "He does not make a bunch of noise."

In his fourth year as Sierra High's head coach, Harbison led the Timberwolves to the playoffs for the first time in the program's 14-year history.

That was last season.

Proving it wasn't just a great year for an average program, the Timberwolves upped the ante this year.

They handed Oakdale its first Valley Oak League loss since 2006 and its first conference loss at The Corral in nine years. When the regular season was over, the Timberwolves had earned a share of the league championship, the program's first, and a spot in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division III semifinals.

They did it with a great running back, Jarrod Daniels, who broke the school's career and single-season rushing and scoring records.

They did it with the league's top triple threat, Anthony Hall, the leading vote-getter among league coaches at wide receiver, defensive back and kicker.

But more than anything, they did it with hard work. Just don't tell Harbison the Timberwolves do "the little things" well.

"What some may consider the 'little things,' we consider fundamentals," Harbison said. "Teaching fundamentals is what coaching is all about. We spend a great amount of time working on fundamentals program-wide."

Harbison talked specifically about Sierra's low turnover rate.

"Ball security is not a little thing, so we stress teaching the ball carrier high and tight. Over the last two years, our top four runners put the ball on the ground a total of four times."

Daniels said Harbison demands 100 percent from every player for every practice.

"Everyday he comes to practice demanding perfection," Daniels said. "We rep it until we get it right."

Harbison took over for Greg Leland, the school's first varsity coach, in 2005, when Leland took over as the school's athletic director.

Harbison had been a sophomore head coach before joining the varsity staff as an assistant for Leland's final season.

"I really had a chance firsthand to see what kind of coach he is and how he works with the kids," Leland said. "I knew he knew the game, but that wasn't the issue. Who was going to come in and be a leader? It was really an easy decision for me. It was a slam dunk."

OFFENSE

QUARTERBACK

Marcus McDade, St. Mary's seniorThe Tri-City Athletic League's top quarterback threw for 2,435 yards with 31 touchdowns and only two interceptions, helping St. Mary's to a 10-0 regular season.

RUNNING BACK

Depray Celestine, Tracy seniorThe multi-dimensional threat was the San Joaquin Athletic Associations's player of the year with 25 total touchdowns: 15 rushing, six receiving and four on special teams. On defense he had five interceptions.

Jarrod Daniels, Sierra seniorThe Valley Oak League's player of the year finished with 1,811 yards rushing with 33 touchdowns, and he set Sierra High career and single-season records for rushing yards and touchdowns.

Jordan Perkins, Lodi juniorNamed the SJAA's offensive player of the year and invited to the 2010 U.S. Army All-American Junior Combine after rushing for 1,377 yards with 14 touchdowns rushing and two receiving.

Brandin Cooks, Lincoln juniorThe "Human Torch" was the Trojans offensive player of the year and a first-team all-SJAA selection after catching 43 passes for 783 yards with 10 touchdowns.

TIGHT END

Foloi Vae, Edison seniorPrimarily a blocker, the 6-2, 240 Vae was one of three TCAL co-top offensive linemen. He finished with 14 catches for 183 yards and three touchdowns.

OFFENSIVE LINE

Xavier Bailey, Franklin seniorThe 6-4, 270 pounder shared the SJAA's top offensive lineman award and was named to the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame's all-section team.

Jeff Collins, Manteca seniorThe 6-foot, 270 pound left tackle, a first-team all-VOL selection, allowed just two sacks all year for the Buffaloes, who returned to the playoffs after a rare 10-week season in 2008.

P.J. Guttenbeil, St. Mary's seniorThe Rams averaged 219 yards rushing per game, and Guttenbeil was a big reason. The 5-11, 240 senior helped St. Mary's gain 35 yards per game more on the ground than in 2008.

Kevin Speer, Tracy seniorThe 6-2, 230 senior was named NFF/CHF all-section honorable mention and the SJAA's co-offensive lineman of the year after allowing just one sack during the Bulldogs' 10-0 regular season.

Aaron Hinkle, Tokay juniorThe Tigers reached the playoffs for the first time in seven years averaging close to 250 yards rushing per game behind an offensive line anchored by Hinkle, the TCAL's co-top offensive lineman.

DEFENSE

DEFENSIVE LINE

Jonique Andrews, Chavez seniorThe 6-foot, 205 Andrews finished with 85 tackles and six sacks. He also recovered three fumbles and forced four, helping earn himself a spot on the all-SJAA first team.

Joe Golden, St. Mary's seniorThe 5-10, 205 Golden was named to the TCAL's first team with two fumble recoveries and 61 tackles, including eight in the Rams' first-round playoff victory over Buhach Colony.

Charles Howard, Lincoln sophomoreThe 6-4, 285 nose tackle, the only underclassman on the all-area first team, was an all-league first team selection with 35 tackles and one sack for the Trojans.

Reginald Thompson, Franklin seniorThe SJAA's 6-3, 275 co-defensive player of the year finished the season with 73 tackles and three sacks, including two against defending SJAA champion Lincoln.

LINEBACKERS

Ricky Diaz, Tracy seniorThe inside linebacker earned the SJAA's top linebacker award with 54 tackles, 6 1/2 sacks, two interceptions and one fumble recovery as the Bulldogs finished the regular season 10-0.

Nick Largent, Escalon seniorThe 6-0, 225-pound Largent was named the TVL's top linebacker for the second year in a row after posting 110 tackles, three interceptions, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.

Patrick McCarthy, Tokay seniorNamed the TCAL's top defensive player and team MVP with 137 tackles, five sacks, and three forced fumbles for the Tigers, who earned their first playoff berth in seven years.

Phillip Ruhl, Lincoln seniorDespite playing much of the season in a cast with screws in his wrist following a Week 1 injury, Ruhl was the SJAA's co-defensive player of the year with 82 tackles and five sacks.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

Jason Diniz, Escalon senior The versatile 5-10, 180 Diniz was a TVL co-outstanding defensive back, a threat running and receiving and a first-team kicker who finished 12th in the section in scoring among kickers.

Anthony Hall, Sierra seniorThe 5-8, 160 Hall was the leading vote-getter among league coaches for defensive backs, wide receivers and kickers. He returned an interception 96 yards for a score in 44-42 win over Oakdale.

Theo Wofford, Stagg seniorOne of the area's dangerous multi-dimensional threats finished with 35 tackles and an interception. He also accounted for more than 2,000 yards of offense running, receiving and returning kicks.

UTILITY

Billy Simon, Tracy seniorSimon was a linebacker, but he earned the SJAA's top defensive back award. He had 105 tackles with five sacks, three interceptions and two fumble recoveries, one he returned for a score.

KICKER

Max Garrigan, Tracy seniorThe two-time SJAA kicker of the year is The Record's top kicker for the second year in a row. He finished with 59 point-after kicks, four field goals and, most importantly, 15 touchbacks.

PUNTER

Francisco Ortigoza, Stagg seniorOrtigoza's average on 28 punts — 32.64 yards — doesn't set him apart from most punters by much, but he pinned 10 of his 28 punts inside the opponents 20-yard line.

Editor's note: St. Mary's senior defensive end Devin Lagorio was originally selected as a member of The Record's All-Area first team. His photo and information were inadvertently left out of Sunday's all-area package. The 6-foot-2, 235-pound Lagorio was a first-team All-Tri-City Athletic League selection who helped the Rams to a perfect 10-0 regular season and CalHiSports.com's No. 1 ranking in NorCal Division III heading into the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II playoffs. Lagorio finished with season with 65 tackles, six sacks, four pass deflections and one forced fumble.